


A Shooting Star Will Fall

by GoofyGoldenGirl



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Adolescence, Angst, Anxiety, Backstory, Bullying, Childhood, Dark, Demons, Desperation, Family, Friendship, Gen, Growing Apart, Growing Up, I'm Sorry, Immaturity, Insecurity, Jealousy, Manipulation, Middle School, Psychological Horror, Puberty, Sad, Self-Esteem Issues, Siblings, Storms, Strained Relationships, The Mindscape, Twins, changes, fear of growing up, mabel centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-16
Updated: 2015-09-27
Packaged: 2018-04-21 03:19:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4812962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoofyGoldenGirl/pseuds/GoofyGoldenGirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>Mabel felt a chill go down her spine as the bloodshot yellow eyes glowed in the darkness.</em>
  <br/>
  <em> Orange flames arose from the ground, circling around her,as a gust of wind howled,nearly knocking her off her feet. </em>
  <br/>
  <em>Terrified, she struggled to remain standing, a scream bubbling in her throat as she heard the all too familiar voice say:</em>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <em>"Well! Well! Well! If it isn't Shooting Star!" </em>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Where Ned's Declassified Had Failed

Mabel remembered how excited she was last summer to go to middle school. She couldn't wait. She spent hours planning. Going on trips to the mall and Staples for clothes and school supplies. Going over all the info and her schedule with five different highlighters; making sure to memorize the essentials. Everyday she would search the web on tips on how to survive middle school, along with watching episodes of her favorite teen dramas. 

Looking back, she realized that the first warning sign of what was to come was when she realized that she shared no classes with her friends. Being the social butterfly she was, Mabel figured that she'd make new friends in her classes and she'd see them at lunch.

For the first two weeks, everything was normal. She went to classes, met new people, and saw her friends in passing. She relished all the opportunities middle school had to offer: signing up for the knitting and the drama club, going to all the orientation events, and making sure to look as cool as she possibly could with a combination of outfits that she had made herself and from Justice. 

Then they took away assigned seating at lunch.

Mabel was thrilled. She could finally sit with her friends. And not at just any table; the circular ones in the middle of the cafeteria. A cream colored table with five red stool seats that faced the lunch line, it was the middle school version of a VIP booth. It would be her, Laura, Emily, and Stephanie, her best buddies since kindergarten, and Katie, a girl she met in her social studies class who came from Roosevelt Elementary.

But Emily had another person in mind.

Her name was Tara. Tall, thin, with red curly hair, and green eyes, she had gone to one of those private elementary schools that rich people sent their kids so they could be sheltered. She was the personification of popular: clad in the most expensive clothes, wearing makeup, and carrying not only designer bags, but an iPhone _and_ a tablet. Wherever she went, people flocked to her side. She and Emily had gone to the same soccer camp over the summer and were pretty close.

Perhaps it was due to Mabel's kind nature that she overlooked how rudely Tara acted towards her when they first met. 

"Hi! I'm Mabel!" She eagerly exclaimed. She held out her hand so Tara could shake it. 

Tara did not take it. She glanced Mabel over, eying her outfit. She was wearing her favorite sweater: the one with the shooting star, and a purple skirt with Mary Janes. 

"What is that?" She pointed to the sweater.

"I made it myself!" Mabel said. "My mom got me a sewing kit last year for my birthday, and I like, have been making sweaters all the time ever since! Isn't it so cool?"

Tara sighed.

"Yeah. Sure," she said sarcastically.

Except Mabel didn't realize she said it that way.  
******************************************************  
A few weeks later Mabel invited the group to her house.

She spent the last hour of school sitting at the edge of her seat, thinking about how much fun it was going to be. She had spent most of her week coming up with things that they could do. It would be a real middle school experience, having a group of friends over on a Friday afternoon.

As soon as the bell rang, Mabel was out the door. She ran down the hall to her locker. She took out her backpack and waited for Dipper and her friends to arrive.

Most of them showed up within the first five minutes, but Tara and Emily came ten minutes late. They walked over at a slow pace, laughing about something Tara said.

"Hey!" Emily said cheerfully.

Tara glanced over at Dipper with an annoyed look.

"What's _he_ doing here?" She asked.

"Ah don't be silly! Dipper needs a ride home!" Mabel exclaimed.

"Why does he have to come with us?" Tara complained.

"Don't worry! My mom has an SUV, we'll all fit!" Mabel told her.

Dipper looked uncomfortable. He glanced down at his phone.

"Mom says we're late," he said.

It was nearly 3:05 when they finally left school. The five girls crowded in the backseat, taking up just enough space to fit. Dipper sat in the front with Mrs. Pines who talked to them as she drove.

Stephanie and Laura who already thought Mrs. Pines as a second mom, were at ease as they answered her questions, telling her funny stories about their classes. Katie was a little shy, but began to warm up to her by the time they pulled up in the garage. Tara did not talk to Mrs. Pines. She only talked to Emily in a low voice.

Mabel led the girls on a tour of the house, finally leading up to her bedroom.

"And tada!" Mabel flipped on the light switch. "This is the hotspot!"

It was an average sized room. The walls were a light baby pink and covered in drawings of cute animals along with Several Timez and One Direction posters. Dolls and stuffed animals covered the bed, leaning back into two neat rows against the pillows. Next to the closet sat a toy box. A CD player sat on the nightstand.

"I like your room!" Katie said. "It's so cute!"

"You have a doll?" Tara looked over at the doll on the bed that was dressed like a princess.

"Yeah! Annabelle's my favorite," Mabel picked up the doll and held it close. "I had her since I was three!"

The redhead rolled her eyes.

"I haven't had dolls since I was like, seven."

"Aww too bad," Mabel said.

"Dolls are for little kids."

"Lots of people who aren't kids have dolls," Mabel turned on the CD player. A Several Timez song started to play. "I have several and barbies too."

"I love barbies!" Katie piped up. "Can we--"

"I don't want to play with barbies," Tara interrupted. 

"That's ok! We can talk about stuff!" Mabel said.

Tara turned to Emily and whispered in her ear:

"I can't believe she has a CD player. No one uses that anymore."

Mabel pretended that she didn't hear.  
******************************************  
In the middle of October, the kids were given the option to change seats in the cafeteria.

Katie finally was able to join them. Mabel couldn't be happier.

Except that Emily left.

Tara had switched tables and Emily went along with her. When she told her, Mabel tried to play it cool.

"It's ok. We'll see each other around."

But Mabel wondered if she would ever see Emily again.

Ever since Tara came along, Emily had changed. Emily used to be the one in the friend group who made homemade tie dye tshirts, brought homemade snickerdoodles to share, and kept everyone cracking up with silly puns. Now it seemed like everything was about Tara. They were always together: in class, hanging out after school, going to soccer practice. She had ditched the tie-dyes for too tight Abercrombie and Fitch shirts, snacked on oatmeal granola bars, and had declared that puns were stupid. 

Mabel didn't know how Stephanie and Laura felt about it. They liked Tara too; they didn't hang out with her, but they got along whenever Emily brought her over. Mabel wanted to talk about it to them, but was not sure how to bring it up. She didn't want them to think that she didn't like Tara. That would be bad.

She wished she could talk to Dipper or mom and dad about it, but she knew they wouldn't understand the way someone who knew about the situation would. 

So she kept quiet.  
***************************  
By December, it was clear that Tara did not like Mabel at all.

She wasn't sure why. She made sure to treat Tara like she she treated the rest of her friends. After all, they were both friends with Emily.

But Tara seemed to go out of her way to make Mabel feel bad.

It all started one morning when the six of them were waiting outside to be let in for school.

"Did you hear?" Laura said. "Several Timez is coming out with a new album!"

"I can't wait!" Mabel exclaimed.

Tara groaned.

"Several Timez is a One Direction rip off. They don't even have good songs."

"I like One Direction too," Mabel added. "But I don't think Several Timez decided to copy them or anything."

"Please," Tara huffed. "Several Timez sounds like a donkey taking a crap. They suck so much!"

Mabel's eyes bulged. No one around her age cursed except for the eighth graders.

Tara laughed. Emily glanced over at Tara with a nervous expression before giggling herself.

By the time school started again after Christmas break in January, the whole sixth grade was abuzz with the news that Tara and Anthony Pesci were a thing.

Some claimed that it was Tara who asked him out and that they went to Los Angeles over the break to visit her model sister. Others said it was Anthony and he had placed a love note in her locker. Either way, they were the first official couple in the entire grade.

"Oh my god! What's he like?" Stephanie asked one morning as they headed up to the sixth grade wing for homeroom. 

"He's like super cool. We went to the movies," Tara said.

"Did you guys like go _alone?_ " Katie excitedly asked.

"Did you like _kiss_ him?" Mabel asked. 

"Kiss him? _Please_ " Tara rolled her eyes. "We _made out._ "

All the girls went quiet.

"Made out? Like you stuck your tongue in his _mouth?_ " Laura's jaw dropped.

"Yeah," Tara said nonchalantly. "So?"

"Ewww!" Mabel exclaimed as she made a face. 

"Of course you'd never understand it, you're just a baby," Tara told Mabel.

It looked like Katie was about to say something when Emily piped up:

"Who do you guys like?"

"I like Tim!" Mabel said.

Tim Lagan was a boy in Mabel's math class and in the drama club. He had been one of the few sixth graders to get a lead role in the fall play. Tall and soft spoken, he was one of those people who was nice to everybody. 

"Oh my god Mabel! What are you stupid? Tim is so gay," Tara exclaimed. 

"Tim isn't gay!" Mabel shot back.

"Are you kidding me? _Everyone_ in drama club is gay! And he's like super ugly."

The bell rang before Mabel had a chance to say anything. 

From then on whatever kept Tara from holding back was gone. Whenever she and Mabel were in the same company, she would always mock her:

_"Ponies? What are you five?"_

_"Hey look! It's the crazy cat lady!"_

_"Several Timez is retarded!"_

_"Ducktective is for losers!"_

No one came to Mabel's defense. She forced herself to smile and to act like nothing was wrong. It worked long enough that no one else noticed that she was tearing up the entire time.

Emily started to copy Tara. She would chime in, ending her part with a shrill laugh and a _lighten up Mabel, it's just a joke._

Laura and Stephanie suddenly changed. Gone were the interests and activities the three shared. And every time Mabel attempted to hang out with them, they always had an excuse:

_"I have too much homework. "_

_"I really don't want to paint, sorry._

_"My mom says I can't."_

_"I don't watch it anymore."_

By the time they were allowed to switch seats again in March, Laura and Stephanie had moved to join Emily and Tara. Mabel had no other choice than to sit with Dipper and his friends.

"They're really cool," she told Katie.

Mabel liked sitting with Dipper and Katie at lunch. But it wasn't the same as having her other friends with her.  
**************************************************************************************************************************  
Laura's birthday was in mid April. Every year her parents let her invite a few friends to take out for dinner and a sleepover.

What in past years had been an invitation sent through the mail, was now a text sent on Sunday evening. It said to meet at the local pizzeria after school on Friday at 5:30.

Mabel was so excited that she responded the moment she read. She ditched her homework and took out some green yarn to make a scarf to give as a present. 

Wednesday, Katie came over to Mabel's house after school. 

"I can't wait for the party Friday!" Mabel said as they reached her room.

"Um yeah," Katie avoided looking directly at Mabel. "I can't wait either."

Mabel went to the toy box and took out the barbies. Whenever she and Katie hung out, they always played with them.

"Um, I don't want to play with barbies," Katie said.

"Oh ok," Mabel put them back. "Maybe next time."

"I don't like barbies anymore."

Mabel stopped. She looked over at Katie and then down at one of the barbies in her hand.

"Oh," she said, disappointed. "So um, do you wanna watch a movie?"

"I don't feel like it."

"Then what do you wanna do?" Mabel asked.

"I think I need to go," Katie placed a hand on her forehead. "My head hurts."

"Aww that's too bad!" Mabel said. "I hope you feel better!"

Katie didn't answer her.

At exactly five minutes before, Mabel was dropped off at the pizzeria. She went inside, carrying her gift in one hand, duffel bag in the other, and took a seat in the waiting area.

Five minutes passed. No one showed up. Mabel figured that she was early and decided to give it ten minutes. 

Ten minutes passed. 

Mabel sent Laura a text, telling her that she had arrived.

Ten turned into twenty.

Laura had not answered. Mabel tried texting Katie, asking where they were.

Twenty turned into thirty.

Nearly panicking, Mabel tried to call Laura. No one picked up on the other end. Several times she was sent straight to voicemail.

Finally, Mabel decided to call home. She paced by the window as she dialed when she saw Laura's mom's car, pull up at the end of the street. 

Five girls got out and started to head down the street. They took up nearly all the space on the sidewalk. They got closer to the pizzeria.

"Guys!" Mabel shouted, waving her hands about.

But they passed right by her. They crossed the road to the sushi place.

Her hands shaking, Mabel sent another text to Laura.

Just as the girls were about to go inside, Mabel saw Laura take out her phone from her pocket. She took one look and put it back.

By the time Mrs. Pines and Dipper got Mabel's call and reached the pizzeria, they found her standing at the front window. She had her back turned, and was sobbing into the sleeve of her birthday sweater.  
***************************  
Monday morning, Mabel slammed the car door when she and Dipper were dropped off. Clenching her fists, she stormed over to the group who were hanging out close to the door. Dipper followed her, struggling to keep up.

"Hey!" She yelled at them.

The group turned to face her. Most of them glanced over at her annoyed, except for Katie who looked nervous.

"Well isn't it Mabel Pines?" Tara smugly said.

"I waited for an hour!" Mabel shouted. 

"Whoa, what are you talking about?"

"I was at Joe's! I saw you guys just walk by me and go into Wasabi's!"

"What, we were gonna pick you up," Laura jumped in.

"Then why did you ignore my text?"

"I didn't get any."

"Stop lying to me!" Mabel's face was turning red. "Ever since, _she_ came along, all you guys have been doing is making fun of me. I thought we were friends!"

"We _were,_ " Stephanie said.

"What did I do?" Mabel screamed as the tears started to fall. "Why do you hate me so much?"

Tara, Emily, Laura, and Stephanie glared at her as she cried. Katie looked away, uncomfortable. 

"Shut up and don't be a baby Mabel!" Emily told her.

Mabel felt her legs give out as she sunk to the ground.

"But we were BFFs!" She sobbed. "We pinky promised and everything!"

"Come on guys, she isn't worth our time," Tara said coldly.

The group headed inside, without giving her a second glance. Only Katie did, who had a pained expression and a remorseful look in her eyes.

Dipper rushed by Mabel side and placed an arm around her. She cried into his shoulder until the bell rang for them to go in.  
********************************************************************************************************************************************  
School ended just before Memorial Day.

Mabel had spent the last month of sixth grade completely friendless except for Dipper. Tara had already done her damage: most of the kids avoided Mabel like plague.

The last day of school, Mabel clutched her yearbook and sadly looked on as she watched everyone else go around and sign theirs.' 

Someone tapped her shoulder.

It was Katie. Mabel opened her mouth to speak, but Katie was quicker:

"I'm sorry."

She walked off before Mabel could react. Mabel saw her rejoin their old group. She was greeted with hugs and a mix of _oh my gods_ and _hi's_

At dinner, Mr. and Mrs. Pines told Mabel and Dipper that they would be spending the summer in Gravity Falls.

Even though she complained, Mabel felt relieved. She wasn't sure how she was going to survive seeing her old friends again when seventh grade started; at least she would be free of them for a whole three months. 

When Dipper and Mabel left Piedmont, Mabel took her usual spot by the back window. Filled with a mixture of excitement and homesickness, she watched the city grow farther and farther away until it was a blurry collection of buildings. A thought popped into her mind, one that was at the back of her mind the entire summer:

_Will anything ever be the same again?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _I drew a bit from my own middle school experiences for this chapter. Such as the cafeteria layout, the gossiping (one of my friends back then was one of the few who actually had a boyfriend and everyone talked about it), and making fun of crushes (which another one of my friends did to me. Turns out, the guy actually was gay) Sixth grade for me was ten years ago, so obviously the pop culture stuff I remember was different than it was now, but I hope I managed to show how not fun middle school is._


	2. Growing Up Isn't Optional

Before Dipper and Mabel went to Gravity Falls they had their annual checkup. Luckily this year there were no shots and their mom promised to get them ice cream after.

But there was something that Mabel heard that day that she kept thinking about the entire summer.

She was walking down the hallway back to the waiting room when she heard her mother's voice coming from the doctor's office.

"So you'll think they'll be fine?"

"They're a little shorter than average, but it's nothing to worry about. Kids usually shoot up during puberty," the doctor responded.

Mabel stopped in her tracks. She leaned against the wall and crept close to the door.

"Speaking of," her mother lowered her voice, but it was still audible. "I know they've just started. I've noticed, my husband, and you too of course. The thing is...you know, if they have questions, I want to be prepared."

"I can recommend several books that are great for parents," the doctor said. "Best part is that they're to the point and give good explanations. Better than some of the medical texts I've read for sure."

"The thing is," Mrs. Pines started. "I have no problem with Dipper. Give him any science related book and he'll go through it in an hour. And he's got a good enough relationship with his father in case he needs anything. But Mabel…" She paused.

"Mabel has a hard time with changes where she isn't in control of the situation. Adolescence isn't a good time for anyone; but for someone like her, I'm scared she'll fall apart. So far she hasn't expressed anything to me besides that her chest hurts, but I don't know how she'll be down the road. She wants to stay a kid forever, but she needs to realize that everyone grows eventually."

She picked up her pace, nearly sprinting down the hallway. Her mother's words kept repeating in her head:

_Everyone grows up eventually_

Mabel always had acted younger than her age. Adults noticed it and so did her peers. It didn't sink in until now that she would turn thirteen in a few months.

It scared her.

Being a child was all she knew. She had taken comfort in the fact that she could act how she pleased without anyone judging her. It seemed like ever since middle school started, her whole world had been turned upside-down. She had lost her friends, her confidence, and now body began to mature in a way that did not match her mind.

It started with chest pains. It happened one May morning as she got ready for school. She had not felt that type of pain before: a slight sharp ache that pierced her chest, stretching from one side to another. Concerned, she had gone to her mother, who had assured her that it was normal.

Normal.

How could any type of pain could possibly be normal?

On and off they came, striking at the most inconvenient times. In the middle of gym, as she raised her hand to answer a question in class, during an outing with her family. Self conscious and uncomfortable, she tried to best to hide the fact she was hurting but felt like all eyes were on her as she crossed her arms and tried not to flinch.

She thought the chest pains had stopped when she got to Gravity Falls but other pains took their place.

Her skin and hair had become oily, with zits popping up left and right just underneath her bangs. No matter how many times she scrubbed her face with soap and hot water, it felt it aggravated her skin more. Her cheeks were constantly a blotchy red and the pimples multiplied until they had covered the length of her forehead. Sweat accumulated under her armpits, leaving gross stains on her sweaters that took forever to wash out. But for her, the worst came late one night. She had sleepily began to pull her nightgown over her head when she was jolted wide awake by what she saw in the bathroom mirror.

In medical terms, doctors and other science professionals called it budding. For Mabel, it marked the beginning of the end.

She stared nervously into the mirror as her mother's voice rang again:

_Everyone grows up eventually_

It wasn't until Dipper banged on the bathroom door that Mabel snapped out of it. She hastily put on her nightgown, sloppily brushed her teeth, and was out of the bathroom in a matter of seconds. 

It would the first of many sleepless nights. She tossed and turned, wondering how everyone else her age managed to go about their lives like they weren't a pubescent mess.

Why did other girls want this? Why did they want breasts and bras? Was it really necessary to have two annoying blobs of flesh that required to be covered with even more clothing than needed? Why didn't people realize that breasts got in the way of going about day to day activities? Wasn't it just easier to have a completely flat chest?

For the past year, Mabel had been forced to listen to such conversations from her friends. They eagerly talked about going shopping for bras, what cup size they currently were, with complaints about chest pain and wanting large boobs thrown in.

She didn't understand then, and she certainly understood it less now that it was happening to her.

The other changes though considered a nuisance, were at least accepted. They complained about zits, hair growth and removal, and how tall or short they were. Not once did it cross their mind to question why.

But they paled in face of the most disturbing change.

It happened to Laura first. The two of them had been walking downtown on a Saturday afternoon last fall, when she confided to Mabel that she had gotten her first period the night before.

"Oh," Mabel replied, unsure of what to think. The idea of bleeding from her private parts grossed her out. Knowing that it would happen to her once a month for the rest of her adult life made her anxiety about it even worse. 

But Laura seemed excited about periods, even proud that she got one. So the only thing Mabel could do was smile and congratulate her.

Then one by one the others got theirs'. 

It just so happened that this rite of passage occurred just about when Tara began to convince everyone else to ditch Mabel.

Questions of _you got a pad?_ (or tampons in Tara's case because she claimed that pads were for babies) became as common as asking someone for a pencil. They complained about cramps and other aches, mood swings, and other incredibly gory details that made Mabel want to puke. She could not stand having to listen to them talk and tried to get out of the conversation as soon as she could.

If she even had any desire to learn about the workings of the human body it had been successfully destroyed by the end of the school year.

Summer was supposed to be a time of relaxation and reflection, but for Mabel her reflection made it harder to relax.


	3. Keep Your Proud Head From Falling

Mabel was lucky to have been born with a friend. 

She and Dipper certainly weren't two peas in a pod, but she couldn't imagine life without him. 

Well...her parents too, but her relationship with them didn't compare to how close she and her twin were.

Of course they didn't get along swimmingly 24/7. What sibling did? But Mabel knew that she and Dipper had a better relationship than most siblings. They never were constantly at each other's throats like some people she knew. They could argue over the silliest things, tease each other, and get on each other's nerves, but they'd always make up in the end. Mabel and Dipper were family, and family always stuck together.

Then Dipper met Grunkle Ford. 

The two were inseparable. Working on the experiment of the week in the lab, playing rounds of Dungeons, Dungeons, and more Dungeons, going out to the woods to explore, it got to the point where Mabel only saw him during meals and just before bed.

She told herself that she should be happy for him. He finally had someone to geek out over nerd stuff. She could listen to whatever was Dipper's interest of the moment was, but there was only so much math stuff she could handle. It made sense that he hang Ford to hang out with. After all, she had Candy, Grenda, and Wendy to bond over stuff that Dipper couldn't understand.

Then why did she feel so bitter?

Even when she hung out with her friends she always tried to include Dipper if they weren't doing anything girly. She figured that he'd do the same. Right?

It seemed like whenever she tried to join him on whatever he was doing he had an excuse:

"You wouldn't understand Mabel."

"Are you sure you want to?"

"Uh, I don't think you'll like it. It has hard math stuff."

"I'm busy right now."

"Maybe later."

It hurt whenever she'd see him walk away to rejoin Ford. She felt her heart sink as they continued their discussion in excited whispers, occasionally laughing about some nerd joke she'd never be able to get.

Did he think she was stupid?

Dipper had always been more mature than she had. He was practically a genius. He could count to a hundred when he was two and a half. He began to learn how to read when he was three. He had been given the option to skip grades in elementary school but chose to stay behind with Mabel. He made up for it for taking as many advanced classes they offered him, which for sixth grade was pre algebra.

Mabel wasn't smart. She was good at English,but that was about it. She was in the remedial classes for math and science, and just managed to get by in social studies. Mabel got by with Bs in English and social studies, and Cs in math and science.

Her parents said they were proud of her. They always did, that's what parents were supposed to do. But how could her grades compare to Dipper's straight A record?

She knew that Dipper's guidance counselor told him he could take eighth grade classes along with seventh in the upcoming year. He said he would think about it, but Mabel wondered if this time if he would take it.

He didn't need her. Why could he stoop down to the level to someone as childish and dumb like Mabel when he had Ford as his equal?

Dipper was ready to grow up. Mabel heard him again and again say how he couldn't wait to turn thirteen. 

"I can't wait to be a teenager! Think about all the cool stuff we'll be able to do!"

He was cut out for teenhood. He eagerly anticipated the changes that his body would go through to become a man. He was ready tackle on more responsibility in order to gain independence in turn. He had a blueprint for the future set up already; an outline of what he wanted to accomplish in middle school, high school, and beyond.

Dipper couldn't wait to shed the last remains of his childhood. Even if that meant leaving Mabel behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _The chapter title comes from a song called The Mother We Share by CHRVCHES_   
>  _Listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOu0kPPH4m0_


	4. Tick Tock Goes The Clock

With a cry, Mabel kicked the door open. A rush of energy came over her as she began to sprint into the woods. Night had already fallen. Ominous clouds above and thick air warned of an oncoming storm, but Mabel did not stop.

Dipper had reached the door. He stood in the middle of the entrance way, trying to catch his breath.

"Mabel!" Dipper's voice cracked as a tear fell down his cheek. "Mabel! Come back! I can explain!" 

But she was long gone.

Thunder boomed in the distance. The first drops of rain began to fall, blurring Mabel's already tear filled vision. 

She collapsed to the ground, sobbing hysterically as the rain poured down on her. Curled up on the ground, flashes of the fight played on repeat. 

_You knew about this place the entire time and you didn't tell me?_

_You lied to me! We promised that we've never lie to each other! I can't believe you'd lie to me!_

_Is it because I'm stupid? Huh? Huh? Tell me! For once tell me the truth!_

_I hate you Dipper! I never want to see you again!_

Her worst fear had become true. History had repeated itself in the new generation of twins and there was no turning back. 

She was completely alone.

Maybe it was for the better. They didn't have to pretend to like her. To keep on lying on how great and talented and kind she was. They saw her for what she really was: a monster. 

The wind howled along with her. She clutched at clumps of her hair and leaves that nested between the strands. Streaks of mud washed down her face to stain her sweater. The thunder rang louder and louder in her ears until it nearly rendered her deaf.

Then she saw the flash of light.

Mabel did not have time to react. It struck down right at the top of her head.

Her whole body tensed up and she was plunged into darkness.

She came to, lying on an unfamiliar, hard surface. 

She sat up and got up to her feet. All was pitch black.

"Hello?" Her voice trembled. "Anyone there?"

A yellow circle materialized a few feet away, giving off a dull light. 

She began to take a step towards it when it opened.

It was an eye. It had a black iris with a dark red pupil that widened as it took notice of her. It began to spin. Thick lines stretched across the iris, expanding until they nearly popped out. The blood vessels burst, overflowing out of the eye and down to the ground.

A scream bubbled in Mabel's throat as more eyes surrounded her. She jumped back as the blood moved towards her feet.

Orange flames arose from the ground, circling around her as the ground shook. Above, she heard the crack of thunder and an all too familiar voice exclaim:

"Well! Well! Well! Shooting Star! I've been waiting for you!"

The demon towered over her, surveying her with its bloodshot eye. Electricity sparked from its body, feeding into the flames nearby.

"You!" Mabel broke out into a cold sweat, feeling her heart pound. "Why--what--"

Bill Cipher laughed.

"You took quite a hit Shooting Star! Oh man you should have seen the look on your face! First you were all--boo hoo! Boo hoo!" The demon pretended to cry, moving his hands over his face "Then you were all--- _zap!_ "

His body teamed once more with electricity. He grabbed a bolt and hurled it towards Mabel. She screamed.

"Wanna see what your body looks like?" He gleefully asked her. He began to open a tiny window in the space.

"I'm dead!" Mabel was on the verge of tears once more.

"Nah kid you're just out cold!" He floated towards her. "But hey the clock's ticking," a pocket watch materialized in his hand. "You don't have long."

She began to sob.

"You really wanna go back to that old dump?" Bill asked her. "Isn't it better just to leave it behind? I mean hey, no one cares about you. And they'll all treat you like dirt anyway."

His body lit up like a tv screen. Her memories from the past year began to play. Of every time her ex friends made fun of her, of Stan and Ford arguing, the fight that she and Dipper had. Spliced in between each one he flashed images of every time she had fallen apart. 

"And then you'll get _old_ " 

The demon aged; wrinkles lining across his eye, gray hair popping out underneath his top hat, this body becoming deathly thin. 

"I don't wanna die! I don't wanna die! But I don't wanna grow up!" Mabel hiccuped. 

"I already know kid," Bill reverted back to his normal form. "Why do you think I'm here?"

"To kill me."

"Yeesh kid! I'm not the killing type! You and Pinetree really need to stop setting your standards so damn high!"

He paused for a second.

"What if I told you I could make you stay a kid forever?"

She didn't answer.

"Imagine it Shooting Star. No more meanies. No more icky puberty stuff. Every day will be all fun and games. Wouldn't you rather be happy for all time? Wouldn't you rather love yourself instead of turning out exactly like mom and dad? You get to be _free_ No one will make you _change_ "

For the first time, Mabel looked up at him.

"You mean it?"

"I mean every word I say," Bill told her. "I've done this before."

"I--I don't know."

"You don't have much time," he held out the pocket watch. The big hand was close to twelve, which was marked with a black skull. "You gotta decide Shooting Star!" 

She stopped crying. A pensive look appeared on her face as she thought over his option.

"Tick tock. Tick tock," Bill said in a sing song voice. "Time's running out on the clock," the pocket watch began to let out a thick black smoke as the little hand made its way around. The big hand inched towards the skull.

"I'll do it!"

The pocket watch disappeared. Bill moved in closer towards Mabel.

"Good move Shooting Star!" He held his hand out to her. "I knew you'd come along."

Her hand shook as she reached out to take his'.

"Oh I don't do a shake for this type of deal," Bill told her. "I need a little payment."

"Payment?"

"Just a teeny drop of blood. It won't hurt, I promise you. It's symbolic you know."

"It won't?"

"Oh you won't feel a thing."

Bill turned a dark red. Red flames emerged from his skin. He took hold of her by the arm and pulled her in. The flames ripped her consciousness out of her body as Bill moved in.

From the mindscape, she saw Bill awaken in the forrest.

"Oh this is perfect!" He cackled. "Don't we get the best of both worlds eh Shooting Star? Now let's see what you've got!" 

Mabel was frozen forever in a scream.


End file.
